Japan’s bid for a successful private-sector moon landing has ended in failure for the second time, after startup ispace announced that it lost communication with its lunar lander Resilience during the final descent.
Japan's Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transport and Tourism has notified Japan Post of its intention to revoke the company’s license for freight transportation, following the discovery of improper safety checks at postal branches across the country.
A Vietnamese-themed girls' bar in Tokyo's Bunkyo Ward has been raided by police for operating without a license and employing foreign students on study visas to entertain customers.
A Japanese man believed to be the leader of the crime group known as "JP Dragon" was taken into custody in the Philippines during his birthday celebration, with exclusive video footage showing the moment local authorities stormed the party and arrested the suspect without resistance.
The number of people arrested for violating Japan’s anti-stalking law reached a record high of 1,341 in 2024, while consultations regarding the misuse of tracking devices such as Apple’s AirTag also hit an all-time high, prompting the National Police Agency (NPA) to consider new regulations.
A man who repeatedly harassed his neighbors in a residential area of Ibaraki City, Osaka Prefecture, has been ordered to leave his home following a ruling by the Osaka High Court on June 4th.
To meet surging inbound tourism demand, so-called "special zone minpaku" (private lodgings permitted under special deregulation zones) have rapidly increased in Osaka. This system, introduced in 2014, allows for more relaxed rules on operating private accommodations. Today, approximately 95% of all approved special zone minpaku are concentrated in Osaka, and tensions with neighboring residents are rising.
Nara, famed for its ancient temples and historic cityscape, faces a modern dilemma: how to increase tourism revenue while preserving the city's low skyline. Due to strict regulations designed to protect the views of landmarks such as Mount Wakakusa and the Great Buddha, no building in Nara Prefecture exceeds 50 meters in height.
Legionella bacteria have been detected in multiple locations at the Osaka-Kansai Expo site, prompting health and safety measures. According to the Japan Association for the 2025 World Exposition, seawater collected on June 3rd from the Water Plaza, where water shows are held, was found to contain Legionella bacteria at 20 times the guideline limit.
Kurume City in Fukuoka Prefecture hosted its traditional Hekokaki Festival on June 1st, where men clad in red fundoshi loincloths prayed for protection from misfortune and good health. The event, held annually at Koura Shrine, is a Shinto ritual dating back to the Edo period and drew around 100 participants from across Japan this year.
Hana Sugisaki appeared at the 62nd Galaxy Awards ceremony held in Tokyo on June 2nd, where she was honored with the Individual Award in the television category. The accolade, presented by the Broadcast Critics Association, recognized her performances in the dramas "Unmet: A Neurosurgeon's Diary" and "Diamond Sleeping in the Sea."
Nocturnal Traces of 1980s Japan, Echoes of a Bygone Era: This refractive visual text is composed of 35mm excerpts from footage shot in Japan during the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s restored in 1080p digital format. Some of these clips capture real everyday life, others come from documentaries and films, but all reflect the country's reality at the time, as confirmed by our Japanese distribution partners. (TRNGL)
The film Frontline is a powerful dramatization based on true events, portraying the individuals who took on Japan’s first major COVID-19 outbreak. Featuring an ensemble cast including Shun Oguri, Tori Matsuzaka, Sosuke Ikematsu, and Yosuke Kubozuka, the story centers around the events of February 2020 at the Port of Yokohama, where an unknown virus had begun to spread.
The catch of ayu, a fish long considered a delicacy and regional staple of Lake Biwa, has fallen to a record low, prompting local fisheries to call on the Shiga prefectural government for urgent action.
A high school student from a special needs school in Usa, Oita Prefecture, who won a gold medal at an international judo competition for athletes with intellectual disabilities in the Netherlands in April, visited the city hall of her hometown, Bungotakada, to report her achievement.
Shigeo Nagashima, one of Japan’s most iconic postwar figures and known as "Mr. Pro Baseball," has died at the age of 89, it was learned on June 3rd. A native of Chiba Prefecture, Nagashima helped define an era of professional baseball and became a national hero.
Japan’s digital economy is facing a growing challenge: a trade deficit exceeding 7 trillion yen driven by the surge in cloud services and generative AI. Most of the software and cloud tools used daily on computers and smartphones are provided by major overseas tech firms, particularly those based in the United States.
Japan continues to be a global leader in creative production, with video and photography studios that combine cutting-edge technology with refined visual storytelling. Whether you’re a multinational entering the Japanese market or a local business looking to amplify your brand, these are the top 10 production companies to consider in 2025.
A local metalworking factory in Tochigi Prefecture has developed a high-performance pot called the "Explosive-Speed Boiling Cooker" that is gaining popularity among outdoor enthusiasts. The pot features 108 protrusions on its base that significantly improve heat conductivity, allowing water to boil much faster than with ordinary pots.
Daihatsu has unveiled a new model of its Move mini vehicle, featuring sliding doors as its standout characteristic—an increasingly essential feature in Japan's family car market.
Parenting and household management can become overwhelming when balancing the everyday routines of meal preparation, playtime, and household chores. Families over time have adjusted to living in more compact spaces with fewer items and have come to realize the importance of organization more than ever before.